Look up for the last (and best) meteor shower of the year.
There’s something magical about meteor showers, a sky of shooting stars twinkling across the sky. It seems a fitting way to end 2025, so luckily, Australia will be treated to one last show: The Geminid meteor shower.
What is the Geminid meteor shower?
The Geminds meteor shower hike is the ultimate nighttime event. (Image: Getty Images / Craig Taylor)
Several night sky organisations rank the Geminids at the top of their lists, like the International Meteor Organization, which calls the meteor shower the “best and most reliable of the major annual showers presently observable". The shower originates from the asteroid 3200 Phaethon, which NASA has stated orbits the Earth in approximately 1.4 years.
Not only is it one of the brightest celestial displays, but the Geminid meteor shower is occasionally the colour of fireworks: yellow, green, blue and red. This is thanks to the various metallic elements in the debris from the asteroid – think sodium, magnesium and calcium. These elements burn in different colours as they vaporise in Earth’s atmosphere.
When to watch
The shower can flash yellow, blue, red and green. (Image: Getty/ bjdlzx)
While the shower has already started, and will continue until 24 December, its peak performance is coming up. The predicted peak (aka when the meteors will be shining brightest in the night sky) is between 14-15 December.
This is thanks to a waning crescent moon that won’t interfere with a dark sky backdrop for the Geminids to put on their show.
Where to watch
Thredo’s summer hike series takes in the best of the night skies – from meteors to super full moons.
As with all night sky events, a clear, dark sky is the dream. According to EarthSky, when the conditions are just right – ie, you’re under a dark sky with no moon – you might catch 120 Geminid meteors per hour. So yes, you probably want to head out of the city, with all its light pollution. In Australia, you’ll also need a clear view of the eastern sky.
A pollution solution? Join Thredbo’s Geminids Meteor Shower Hike. This unique adventure takes hikers on a guided journey to the summit of Mt Kosciuszko, climbing steadily as day turns to night, until stopping to watch the natural light show in astonishing clarity at the peak. The 13-kilometre Grade 3 round-trip is challenging but rewarding.
Rather go it alone? Try designated Dark Sky Parks like Warrumbungle National Park in NSW, or head to as remote a location as you can get to.
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Kassia Byrnes is the Native Content Editor for Australian Traveller and International Traveller. She's come a long way since writing in her diary about family trips to Grandma's. After graduating a BA of Communication from University of Technology Sydney, she has been writing about her travels (and more) professionally for over 10 years for titles like AWOL, News.com.au, Pedestrian.TV, Body + Soul and Punkee. She's addicted to travel but has a terrible sense of direction, so you can usually find her getting lost somewhere new around the world. Luckily, she loves to explore and have new adventures – whether that’s exploring the backstreets, bungee jumping off a bridge or hiking for days. You can follow her adventures on Instagram @probably_kassia.
September to April in the Northern Territory rewards those who seek adventure.
Sure, the Northern Territory shines during the high season, but did you know it transforms into lush magnificence in the summer low season? From September to April, hundreds of waterfalls roar into action, vegetation flourishes and natural pools swell, all thanks to spectacular storms. This is when some of the country’s best arts and cultural events hit the calendar, too.
Travelling at this time of year means you’ll also be rewarded with off-peak travel pricing on accommodation, tours and experiences, and can even enjoy many of the top sites all to yourself.
1. Kings Canyon is transformed
Kings Canyon transforms in the low season. (Image: Kassia Byrnes)
Kings Canyon’s towering sandstone domes and crevasses are a sight to behold year-round, but during the low season you can witness a rare phenomenon. This ancient outback wonder’s arid landscape bursts to life when it rains, temporarily transforming it with waterfalls that thunder down the cliffs. At the base of the canyon is the verdant Garden of Eden and its permanent watering hole.
2. John Hayes Rockhole is a natural wonder
Hike to a desert oasis. (Credit: Tourism and Events NT)
Hidden in the Trephina Gorge Nature Park in the East MacDonnell Ranges, John Hayes Rockhole is an oasis waiting to be discovered. Visit the narrow canyon during the high season, and you may see only a sandy creekbed, but after rain in the low season the pool is full of cool water. It’s accessible via a 4WD-only track off the Ross Highway, or you can set out early and join the nine-kilometre Trephina Ridgetop Walk. The reward for undertaking the hike is worth every step, and there’s a dedicated, tent-only campground for those who’d like to soak up the serenity overnight.
3. The Red Centre Light Trail shines bright
Watch the Outback light up after sunset. (Credit: Tourism and Events NT)
The Red Centre’s rich cultural heritage and lack of light pollution make it the ideal setting for immersive light shows, and you can experience the most iconic ones on an epic six-day road trip in April. Witness the Parrtjima cultural festival inMparntwe (Alice Springs) before heading to Kings Canyon for Bruce Munro’s Light-Towers, where 69 glowing towers shine to a celestial soundscape. At Uluṟu, Munro’s Field of Light blankets the red soil with glowing frosted-glass stems, and the Wintijiri Wiru drone show lights up the sky in front of the sacred cultural site. Along the way you’ll witness the changing landscapes of the desert from the West MacDonnell Ranges to the Valley of the Winds.
4. The Parrtjima festival lights up the Red Centre
Witness the magic of Parrtjima. (Credit: Tourism and Events NT)
For 10 days every April, the Red Centre turns into a dazzling display of colour for the Parrtjima festival. Held at Alice Springs Desert Park, the unmissable celebration shines a spotlight on the world’s oldest living culture using modern technology. Artworks by local Aboriginal artists are transformed into large-scale illuminated installations with accompanying soundscapes, offering a unique opportunity to see the spectacular sunburnt landscapes, night skies and 300-million-year-old West MacDonnell Ranges in a new light. The jam-packed line-up of art and cultural events also includes workshops, markets, short films, talks and live music.
5. Cruising along Nitmiluk Gorge is breathtaking
Sail between towering sandstone cliffs. (Credit: Tourism and Events NT/Nic Morley)
Drifting down the emerald waters of Nitmiluk (Katherine) Gorge between towering red sandstone cliffs carved over millions of years, all while waterfalls stream down around you, is an experience like none other. Nitmiluk Katherine’s two-hour NitNit Dreaming Two Gorge Tour sails through gorges past ancient rock art while a local guide imparts knowledge about the Jawoyn culture and significance of the landscape.
6. You can explore local culture on the Tiwi Islands
Immerse yourself in Tiwi culture. (Credit: Tourism and Events NT/Elise Cook)
Take an 80-kilometre ferry ride from Darwin to arrive at the Tiwi Islands, an archipelago of 11 picturesque islands and a haven for art lovers and anglers. On the Tiwi By Design walking tour you’ll be guided to the Tiwi Design Art Centre, one of Australia’s oldest art centres, to observe local artists in action and join a screen printing workshop.
If you’re more partial to sinking a line, book a stay at Tiwi Island Retreat in April. It’s one of the best months to fish for barramundi, and their world-class fishing adventures are your best chance at reeling in a prized catch.
7. Scenic flights over Kakadu’s waterfalls are jaw-dropping
Soar above Jim Jim Falls. (Credit: Tourism and Events NT/Jarrad Seng)
Seeing Kakadu National Park’s gushing waterfalls and dramatic escarpments from above offers a dose of unparalleled beauty – and it’s all best witnessed in the low season.
Taking flight from Darwin, Kakadu Air Services offers an unforgettable experience, with doorless helicopters revealing unobstructed views of the 1.8-billion-year-old landscape. Soar above the untouched savannah that turns into a tropical green paradise, marvel at the thunderous Jim Jim Falls and Twin Falls, and whiz through ancient sandstone canyons. If you’re lucky, the scenery will look all the more dramatic with rolling tropical storm clouds in the distance.
8. Litchfield National Park is an amazing place to cool off
Dive into natural swimming holes. (Image: Tourism NT/Joshua Griffen)
Litchfield National Park is peppered with stunning natural swimming pools for you to beat the heat in. Take a refreshing dip in pristine, crocodile-free spots such as Buley Rockhole, a series of spring-fed cascading pools, and the nearby Florence Falls, which is enveloped by monsoon rainforest and features a crystal-clear plunge pool fed by a 15-metre-high waterfall. Be sure to check the Northern Territory Parks & Reserves website for closures before you go.
